Allowing the public to speak

[Guest Barbara Manley]

I am a City Commissioner in a small city. In a work session, not a regular meeting, where the commission is trying to get information about a subject to be voted on at a regular meeting, should the public be allowed to speak?

[George Mervosh]

If Robert's Rules govern the situation (ask your solicitor if it does), the matter is left to the total discretion of the commission.

[Josh Martin]

I am a City Commissioner in a small city. In a work session, not a regular meeting, where the commission is trying to get information about a subject to be voted on at a regular meeting, should the public be allowed to speak?

So far as RONR is concerned, it is up to the commission to determine whether non-members may speak. Many public bodies, however, are subject to various laws and rules which may provide otherwise.

[Gary Novosielski]

I am a City Commissioner in a small city. In a work session, not a regular meeting, where the commission is trying to get information about a subject to be voted on at a regular meeting, should the public be allowed to speak?

It is likely, because you are a public governmental body, that the answer will not be found in RONR (which never mandates that any non member should ever be allowed to speak).

For the answer you probably need to contact your city attorney, and ask if there are Sunshine Law provisions that will affect the right of the public to attend or speak. These laws vary from state to state. In some states people are allowed to speak, in others only to observe, and the city commission may have varying degrees of leeway concerning when, if, how long, and on what topics.

From a parliamentary point of view, however, "work sessions" and "regular meetings" are both considered regular meetings if they are regularly scheduled, called to order, with a quorum present, and if business may be transacted (even if it is customary to do most of the business at one type of meeting and very little at the other).

[kingmadison]

I am a member of a non-profit and at a recent meeting our chariman allowed non-voting citizen visitors to draft a motion which he read back verbatun and asked the board to vote on the motion. My question is: can a citizen make a motion that is repeated by the chariman (not another member) who then calls for a vote under Roberts Rules?

[hmtcastle]

My question is: can a citizen make a motion that is repeated by the chairman (not another member) who then calls for a vote under Roberts Rules?

Only if the members permit it (which, by their silence, they did).

[Gary Novosielski]

I am a member of a non-profit and at a recent meeting our chariman allowed non-voting citizen visitors to draft a motion which he read back verbatun and asked the board to vote on the motion. My question is: can a citizen make a motion that is repeated by the chariman (not another member) who then calls for a vote under Roberts Rules?

No, it's completely improper. But since eight people sat and watched it and nobody raised a point of order, the vote stands.

[hmtcastle]

But since eight people sat and watched it and nobody raised a point of order, the vote stands.

Eight people?

[Gary Novosielski]

Eight people?

I got confused with another question. Or maybe it was just a guess.